Certain embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a connector for maintaining electrical mating contact between electronic components. More particularly, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a connector locking assembly for maintaining mating contact between an antenna and a conductive socket.
Many cars include radio antennas that are located on the roof of the car. The antenna typically is connected to, and delivers an electric signal to, a conductive socket located within the car between the roof of the car and a fabric headliner. The conductive socket extends through a hole in the roof to the antenna. The antenna and the conductive socket are secured to each other in mating contact by a connector locking assembly. The connector locking assembly is configured to be manually operated to release the antenna.
The typical connector locking assembly includes an outer contact, a dielectric, and a rear shell that are located on the car roof and centered over the hole. The outer contact is cylindrical and includes retention beams arranged concentrically around the dielectric, which is also cylindrical. Outer ends of the retention beams are bent to form a ring like rim that extends radially inward from main body of the retention beams. The antenna includes a base holding a connection jack that has a cylindrical wall with a receiving groove extending about a perimeter of the cylindrical wall. The receiving groove is arranged to receive the rim of the retention beams. The antenna is mounted to the connector locking assembly by inserting the cylindrical wall of the connection jack into a cylindrical chamber defined by the retention beams. The cylindrical walls of the connection jack have an outer diameter that is generally similar to the inner diameter of the rim of the retention beams, and thus the cylindrical walls cause the retention beams to expand circumferentially outward as the connection jack is inserted into the outer contact until the rim engages the receiving groove.
The conductive socket includes a body and a head, and both are situated within the dielectric, such that the head engages the connector jack when the connection jack is fully inserted into the outer contact. The antenna may be disengaged from the conductive socket by pulling the connection jack out of the outer contact.
The typical connector locking assembly suffers from certain drawbacks. The connection jack may be easily disengaged from the outer contact and thus lose electrical contact with the conductive socket. When the connection jack is positioned within the outer contact, the wall of the connection jack pushes the retention beams outward. Because the retention beams are constantly pushed outward when the connection jack is positioned within the outer contact, the retention beams may become permanently bent outward and thereafter only loosely retain the connection jack in contact with the conductive socket or even release the connection jack entirely from the outer contact.
Thus a need exists for a connector locking assembly that better retains the connection jack of the antenna and permits reliable repeated connection and disconnection.
Certain embodiments provide a locking electrical connector that includes a connector shell extending along a longitudinal axis and an outer contact that is held in the connector shell with the outer contact having a mating end formed with retention beams that are deflectable radially outward from the longitudinal axis. The locking electrical connector also includes a collar that is located about the outer contact and the connector shell. The collar is slidable along the longitudinal axis relative to the connector shell between locked and unlocked positions. The collar has a blocking surface that is positioned to align with and block radially outward deflection of the retention beams when the collar is in the locked position. The blocking surface is moved, when the collar is in the unlocked position, to a position at which the collar permits radial outward deflection of the retention beams.
Certain embodiments also provide a locking coaxial connector that includes a shell extending along a longitudinal axis, inner and outer contacts held by the shell and arranged along the longitudinal axis, and a dielectric core held by the shell to separate the inner and outer contacts. The locking coaxial connector also includes a collar located about the outer contact. The collar is slidable along the longitudinal axis relative to the outer contact between locked and unlocked positions. The outer contact is movable in a radial direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The collar encloses the outer contact when in the locked position to prevent radial outward movement of the outer contact and the collar exposes the outer contact to permit radial outward movement of the outer contact when the collar is in the unlocked position.